Black Forest Cheesecake...Easy!

This cheesecake is an extremely easy one to make! It's a Taste of Home recipe that doesn't require baking and doesn't have to be refrigerated over night. This is a great dessert for those dinners that you want something yummy and presentable, but don't have the energy to spend a lot of time on.

Ingredients

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese

1/3 cup sugar

1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 chocolate crumb crust (8 inches)

1/4 cup baking cocoa

1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla. Fold in whipped topping. Spread half of the mixture evenly into crust. Fold cocoa and confectioner's sugar into remaining whipped topping mixture; carefully spread over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Cut into slices; top each slice with cherry pie filling. Refrigerate leftovers.

Yield: 6-8 servings.

My Alterations...

Because my family members aren't keen on cherries, we substitute strawberry pie filling for the cherry. I've also put miniature chocolate chips inside the chocolate layer; in our household you can't get too much chocolate.

Enjoy!

Satisfied In Christ

Over the last month or so the Lord's been pressing on my heart three different lessons that I'm learning to apply. It has seemed as if every sermon, conversation, devotion, and prayer has drawn my attention back to these three important truths...

1) Continually seek the Lord and His presence (2 Chronicles 16:11),

2) Find your satisfaction in Christ alone (Psalm 17:15,"God is most glorified in me when I am most satisfied in Him" -John Piper)

3) Strive to glorify God in your thoughts, motives, actions, and words (1 Corinthians 10:31).

The Lord has brought the above quote by John Piper to my mind many times over the last month. There's so much joy in grasping the wisdom in this truth. My fulfilment and satisfaction isn't found in friendships, physical perfection, marriage, successful endeavors, etc... but my soul is satisfied only when I am looking to Christ and drinking from the fountain of life!

I'd encourage you to listen to this sermon by Voddie Baucham: Gospel Healing for Hurting Marriages. Don't let the title fool you, it's applicable for everyone; whether you're married or not. I've listened to it four times now and still haven't completely grasped the deep truths he covers. It's wonderful!

Praise God for His mercy and love towards His children! May we find our satisfaction in Him and desire to glorify Him in all that we do.